TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Gym memberships are racking up as New Year resolution season takes effect.
Desert Sports and Fitness - Northeast reports having steady clientele, but there's still an uptick at the beginning of the year.
“It’s probably about the second week of January that things start picking up," said General Manager Kelly Shupe. "And then they start to get into their routine.”
But patron numbers start to decline by February.
Almost 90-year-old gym rat Bob Burdoin has been coming to Desert Sports for 25 years. He said his secret is to make exercise a regular part of life — that and a whole lot of love.
“You have to continue to take care of your body and workout," he said. "That’s the key to longevity.
But many people struggle with finding motivation to go.
“I think it comes from having that tough conversation with yourself," said Trainer Heather Hodges. "'What do I want? What is realistic for me? What do I value in life?'"
The fitness club hosts one-on-one and group classes which the team said are intentional for each participant.
“We notice that it helps in the fact that they keep a schedule by making appointments with their coach, they have somebody to help motivate them each time they come in," said Shupe.
"And probably the best part of it that I hear from our clients is they don’t have to think about what they’re going to do at the gym.”
They organize the classes by like-minded people at similar fitness levels for better team morale.
But staff maintains that physical movement is just one aspect of wellness — good mental health, sleep and diet need to be priorities too.
“We see a lot of people two to three hours a week," Shupe noted. "That leaves them a lot of time outside of the club to sort of break those rules.”
That's why Desert Sports is launching a month-long challenge in which patrons give up one of their vices to see how it affects their fitness progress.
“For a lot of our clients, it’s their second home," said Dodges. "Once you’re in the door, that’s half the work already.”
Mikenzie Hammel joined the KGUN 9 team as a multimedia journalist in the summer of 2023. She graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. With her passion for human connection and visual storytelling, Mikenzie is honored to share the stories of Tucson and southeastern Arizona. Share your story ideas and important issues with Mikenzie by emailing mikenzie.hammel@kgun9.com.
